A Spark of Unordinary in a Boring Town
by Ayaia of the Moon
Summary: Life goes on, Even in Mabase. With nothing plaguing Naota, what course of action will he take? Will he be happy with his life, or indifferent to the whole thing? Haruko or Mamimi aren't around, so who will he turn to? ONESHOT


This is how I picture life going on for the sleepy town of Mabase. With nothing plaguing Naota, what course of action will he take? Will he be happy with his life, or indifferent to the whole thing? With no Haruko or Mamimi around, who will he turn to? Will Gaku and Misashi ever forget about Naota's past love life? His 'wife' and that 'Vespa Woman?' All these questions answered in this fic.

Hey! I was Inspired to write a FLCL fic after seeing the series for what must be the millionth time, and reading the work of other FLCL fans. I must say, there aren't enough Naota/Ninamori pairings out there, so this goes out to all the shippers of above-mentioned couple.

If you've ever seen FLCL, and didn't understand it, or if you've never seen FLCL, or if you saw FLCL and thought it was truly the weirdest show in creation, this fiction will do nothing to clarify your understanding of it. And it holds a few spoilers, I think. But as the series is only 6 episodes long, I won't spoil much, obviously.

FLCL does not belong to me, and I don't know what I'd do with it if it did belong to me, seeing as I don't fully understand it after watching it so many times my head hurt. I want a Ricken-backer, and any and all Pillows merchandise, however, and 'Little Busters' is my favorite song in all creation. On to the fic…

**A Spark of Unordinary in a Boring Town**

**By Ayaia of the Moon**

Today was just another ordinary day in Mabase. Nothing out of the ordinary happens here. Not since _she _left. I went to school -- I go to high school now -- and I sat through some boring classes. I remember saying to Ninamori how I almost missed Miya-jun. She smiled, but didn't dwell on it. She, after all, had a reputation to uphold. She was an honors student, and former class president. No doubt she'd soon hold the title again. Class Elections were in May.

I felt somewhat detached. I had basically what I'd wanted so much this time last year. I no longer lived in my brother's shadow, My grandpa was too busy with Canti to bug me about how unlike Tasku I was. Mamimi had finally moved on -- presumably found a snug career in her photography, and another 'Ta-kun' to keep her company. I was even entitled to the right to never wear a hat if I didn't want to. It wasn't much, but it's what I wanted. Well, what I had wanted this time last year.

Ninamori payed a little attention to me, and Masashi and Gaku were gradually forgetting my 'wife.' Gaku sometimes made his weird comments about Haruko, and Masashi would remember and ask about Mamimi every so often, but it was a dull subject, and not brought up too often. Ninamori, of course, said nothing on the matter. The few encounters she had had with Haruko were no doubt implanted in her memory, but she never brought the subject into light. A dull moment in class would have Gaku surely leaning close to me and whispering, "How's that Vespa woman doing? Smooooooch?"

I didn't feel regret for not going with Haruko in her search for Atomsk. I knew what I had felt for her, but I would've been throwing away everything if I had gone. Everything was moving slowly, but I had always been a very relaxed person as it was, so I didn't really mind that everything had settled into a lazy routine again. All in all, things were moving on. The MM factory was an arguing point in the city council, and an announcement had been made about it's scheduled demolition. Last I heard, the employees were dispatched and offered jobs in a bigger company. All I knew is that Amarao and Kitsurubami were never seen in Mabase after that.

One day, while I was walking home, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned, seeing Ninamori running to catch up with me. I stopped, and waited until she was beside me. We walked in idle silence until Ninamori spoke. "Naota, Do you ever wish things were more exciting here? Like when that woman -- your maid -- was here?"

I stopped, and looked quizzically at her. She had never brought up the subject. It had been so long. Almost a year. And she had never brought up or made a comment about Haruko. "I personally like the indolence of everything. The laziness everything has taken on. This city wasn't meant to have huge things happen in it. Let big things happen in big cities, I say. Let robots sprout out of the heads of people in Tokyo or Nagasaki."

She nodded in agreement with me. Then she said something else. "Naota, why do you …never mind."

I prompted her to finish her sentence, and she did, looking me straight in the eye. "Why do you still call me Ninamori? It's only you and Masashi and Gaku now who do. Just you guys who knew me in Primary School. You know me the best, yet you still call me by my last name. It intrigues me is all…"

I blinked. I hadn't been expecting that either. I never knew she noticed things like that. "I guess it's just habit, is all. If you want, I won't call you by your last name anymore."

She looked away, up into the sky. "It's not like I care. You can do what you want. I don't think it really matters either way. It's not a big deal." But she smiled. It struck me how much maturity she had. She had always been very old for her age, but she could say she didn't care, and I sensed that it really didn't matter. It might make her pleased if I called her by her first name, but it wouldn't sadden her if I decided not to.

"Okay, Eri," I said, earning a look from her. Not of shock, or even confusion. Acceptance. That was the look she gave me. "I won't call you by your last name anymore. I can't promise the habit will be easy to break, or that Gaku and Masashi will follow suit, but I'll try not to be so informal."

She smiled. "And it won't change anything. I mean, it's not like we'll act weird around each other or anything," she said, and we started walking again. She decided our conversation was through, and started picking up her pace, turning onto another street. She turned, and yelled back at me, "Naota, I think that uniform still looks ridiculous on you!"

I almost made a comeback, but she finished, "But I don't think you're such a kid any more. I bet you drink carbonation and everything." She laughed as she went out of sight and I couldn't help but smile a little.

I went into my house, and changed. Then, I deliberately went over to the Ricken-backer, and put it in the closet.

Nothing exciting every happens here. Not since _she_ left. Our store sells normal bread now, and a robot plays on our baseball team. But today, I felt a little spark of the excitement that she always brought. I felt a spark of something that was not ordinary. I tested the foreign name on my tongue. _Eri_. I could learn to call her that. I smiled again. _Let big things happen in Big cities_. I had said. Well, I'm okay with a little excitement in this sleepy town. Not that I care one way or the other.


End file.
